By Todd C. Frankel
Herald Writer
TULALIP — Tulalip tribal members appeared to hit the jackpot Saturday when they voted to give each member a one-time, $10,000 payment.
But there was one very important catch.
"The money’s not there," said John McCoy, the tribes’ director of governmental affairs.
The tribes decided two months ago to plow all revenues back into providing services and investing in development projects, such as the Quil Ceda Village commercial center. No money was left to fund the per capita payments, McCoy said.
The conflicting message — voting for payments, but not funding them — shows a rift within the 3,425-member Tulalip community over how to spend tribal funds. And as casino cash enriches more tribes across the nation, there is growing debate within American Indian communities over whether to resort to per capita payments.
McCoy offered a simple explanation for the fuss.
"Whenever there’s money, people want at it," McCoy said. "It’s no different from any other society."
On the Tulalip reservation outside Marysville, money tensions reared up during Christmastime 2001 when the tribes, to much fanfare and publicity, announced that for the first time tribal members and employees would share a $3.3 million bonus package.
The bonuses were distributed on performance and longevity, among other factors. For example, casino workers got an average $2,000 bonus. Indian government workers received bonuses averaging $1,170.
That led to problems, McCoy said. "Tribal membership thought everyone should get the same amount."
Some members started a petition drive to force a vote on a $10,000 one-time, per capita payment. They got enough signatures to put it to the membership.
But before that could be voted on, another vote took place. At a general council meeting in March, Tulalip members voted overwhelmingly to dedicate all proceeds to services and economic development.
It was ratification that members wanted the tribal leadership "to keep going the way we’re going," McCoy said.
And that direction is aimed at investing in ambitious economic development projects. The Tulalips became the first American Indian tribe in the nation to incorporate its own city with Quil Ceda Village, which is home to a Wal-Mart and a Home Depot store just outside Marysville.
And the Tulalips are in the process of building a new $72 million casino nearby.
In addition, the Tulalips pay for many services related to self-governance, such as law enforcement and family services. They also pay for tribal members to attend technical schools or college.
"Sovereignty isn’t cheap," McCoy said.
But at a meeting on Saturday, the membership voted for the $10,000 payments.
Afterward, tribal chairman Herman Williams Jr. tried to explain why the payments couldn’t be honored.
"The problem is that our constitution states that we cannot give out a ‘per capita’ unless we’ve met all our financial obligations," Williams said in a prepared statement. "The second problem is that our monies are already allocated, and we have no reserves for per capita at this time."
But Williams didn’t totally preclude payments occurring in the future.
"If there’s money left over, then we’ll disburse it to the shareholders," he said, adding, "it will be some time before this takes place."
Adding pressure to the Tulalips’ situation is what happened with the Puyallup Tribe to the south. The Puyallups recently started giving monthly per capita payments of $2,000 to tribal members.
Only 47 of 201 gaming tribes across the nation make per capita revenue payments to their members, according to Indian Country Today.
But the Tulalips have a minor salve to sooth for the sting of not getting a $10,000 payday.
On Monday, all tribal members got the first of quarterly payments from the tribes’ natural resource fund, which includes old timber holdings.
Each check was for $437.50.
You can call Herald Writer Todd C. Frankel at 425-339-3429
or send e-mail to frankel@heraldnet.com.
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